Patrick Faber’s Take on Petrocaribe Funds

Patrick Faber

The Petrocaribe Loan Motion was passed in the House of Representatives last Tuesday, amid massive support for the initiative by stalwarts of the United Democratic Party.  Prior to the meeting, many weighed in on the usage and accountability of the money, a majority of which has been earmarked for infrastructure development.  This afternoon, Minister of Education Patrick Faber shared his position on the way the monies are being used.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“They are talking about these initiatives from Petrocaribe being used for U.D.P. party supporters. Well they’ve received benefits from Christmas Cheer in the Collet constituency for the last couple of years and nobody can say they were turned away saying that they didn’t support Patrick Faber and the U.D.P.  We shared the love with everybody. Everybody can come, everybody can receive. Our children party, everybody can come or a school assistance, everybody can come. Our women’s initiatives, our youth groups initiatives, our after school initiatives, all of these things—the papsmear and the other medical services that we give from our offices—nobody ask yo whether yo dah U.D.P. or P.U.P. when you come. All of these services are afforded through our offices. Our breastfeeding initiative, our participation in the women’s activities in our constituency; in fact we engage very well with the churches in our constituency. And nobody ask the pastors if yo dah U.D.P. or P.U.P.; it doesn’t matter to us. We help everybody. We had a huge children’s harvest a few weeks ago. We don’t ask them if they are P.U.P. or U.D.P.  The children come out when we do vacation bible school, when we have the Garifuna day celebration…we neva ask anybody if they dah U.D.P. or P.U.P.  All of our efforts are for the people of the constituency and that is why they keep voting for us.”